FIRST TO ARRIVE

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31117, 21 July 1966, Page 4

FIRST TO ARRIVE

Revello At Riccarton

Revello is the first of the visiting North Island horses to arrive at Riccarton for the Grand National meeting. The Te Awamutu jumper was brought south on Monday night’s steamer express by his part-owner and trainer, W. J. Craig. Although Revello raced as a hurdler at Trentham last Saturday—he was the runner-up to Kumai in the Winter Hurdles run in race-record time—his main mission at Riccarton will be the Grand National Steeplechase. Revello is still a hack 'chaser. For all that he has built up a fairly impressive record over country this winter and could be one of the stronger light-weight possibilities in the Canterbury Jockey Club’s three and a half mile event.

Before going to Trentham to try for Winter Hurdles honours, Revello had been a last-start winner over country at Avondale on July 9. He won the Mount Albert Steeplechase there by 15 lengths on a very heavy track. That was Revello’s first win in the colours of his trainer and Messrs E. R. Barton and J. L. Roberts, of Te Awamutu. It followed on a third in the Whau Steeplechase on the same course the previous week, and fourths over country at Tauranga and Te Awamutu in June.

Revello’s only unplaced performance on his present campaign was in the Taupo Jumpers’ Flat at Rotorua on May 28. Yesterday morning Revello was given light exercise on one of the inside grass tracks.